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Related Concept Videos

Van der Waals Interactions01:24

Van der Waals Interactions

72.8K
Atoms and molecules interact with each other through intermolecular forces. These electrostatic forces arise from attractive or repulsive interactions between particles with permanent, partial, or temporary charges. The intermolecular forces between neutral atoms and molecules are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, and dispersion forces, collectively known as van der Waals forces.
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Van der Waals Equation01:10

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The ideal gas law is an approximation that works well at high temperatures and low pressures. The van der Waals equation of state (named after the Dutch physicist Johannes van der Waals, 1837−1923) improves it by considering two factors.
First, the attractive forces between molecules, which are stronger at higher densities and reduce the pressure, are considered by adding to the pressure a term equal to the square of the molar density multiplied by a positive coefficient a. Second, the volume...
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The Van der Waals Equation01:26

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The ideal gas law is based on two simplifying assumptions: first, that there are no intermolecular attractions between gas molecules, and second, that the volume occupied by the molecules themselves is negligible compared with the volume of the container. However, these assumptions don't hold up under all conditions - specifically, at high pressures and low temperatures, as gas tends to deviate from ideal gas behavior.The van der Waals equation is an enhanced version of the ideal gas law,...
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Real Gases: Effects of Intermolecular Forces and Molecular Volume Deriving Van der Waals Equation04:01

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Thus far, the ideal gas law, PV = nRT, has been applied to a variety of different types of problems, ranging from reaction stoichiometry and empirical and molecular formula problems to determining the density and molar mass of a gas. However, the behavior of a gas is often non-ideal, meaning that the observed relationships between its pressure, volume, and temperature are not accurately described by the gas laws.
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Intermolecular Forces03:13

Intermolecular Forces

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Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen...
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Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties02:56

Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties

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Imaging Protein-protein Interactions in vivo
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Imaging van der Waals Interactions.

Zhumin Han1, Xinyuan Wei1,2, Chen Xu1

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California , Irvine, California 92697-4575, United States.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|December 16, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers imaged the potential energy surface of van der Waals interactions between xenon atoms using an inelastic tunneling probe. This technique visualizes the forces crucial for chemistry, biology, and materials science.

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Area of Science:

  • Surface science
  • Atomic force microscopy
  • Quantum chemistry

Background:

  • Van der Waals interactions are fundamental intermolecular forces governing structures and functions across chemistry, biology, and materials science.
  • These interactions are typically characterized by attractive potential energy, inversely proportional to the distance between particles.
  • The attractive force is commonly attributed to correlated electron charge fluctuations inducing instantaneous dipole-dipole attractions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To directly image the potential energy surface (PES) of van der Waals interactions.
  • To investigate the van der Waals interactions specifically between xenon atoms at the atomic level.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an inelastic tunneling probe microscopy technique.
  • Applied the probe to map the PES associated with xenon atom interactions.

Main Results:

  • Successfully imaged the potential energy surface for van der Waals interactions of xenon atoms.
  • Provided direct visualization of the forces governing atomic interactions.

Conclusions:

  • The inelastic tunneling probe is an effective method for visualizing van der Waals interaction potential energy surfaces.
  • Direct imaging offers new insights into the fundamental nature of these interactions.